Many times in the past I have started out by saying, this one will be brief... and ending with anything but brevity. This week will be different. So, thoughts in brief:
Labeling: There is open commenting at the FDA for the next 90 days or so regarding possible drug labeling changes on medication risks to children of pregnant or breast feeding mothers. At this time, most drugs, including OTC meds, are classified as A thru D and an X. I do not recall what they all mean, though in my profession the issue does come up. For example, some have been found to be safe, some have been found to not cause harm, some were tested in animals and some were not tested at all. ETC. Sometimes the drugs are combined in a category so one doesn't know which of the classifications applied. This system is being changed so that the person taking the medicine might know the science behind its determination as safe or not safe. What I found hard to believe when reading about this is that drug makers are not mandated to change a label when a drug becomes SAFER, only when a new adverse event or risk is determined. The article in USA Today indicated that there was not much incentive for companies to change the label as it was a costly process. OK, but all I am saying is if the researchers finally deem Chantix as safe there is NO WAY Pfizer isn't going to change their label, that is all I am saying.....
Speaking of Chantix: If you would like to read someone else's opinion on the medication and a sound explanation as to why the drug may not be as bad as some say, check out the blog of Dr. Jonathon Foulds, at Healthline.
More Smoking Semantics: Okay here is a good one. GlaxoSmithKline which makes several nicotine replacement products put out a little press release in preparation for World No Tobacco Day on May 31st. They promote cessation by stating that children of parents who do not smoke or who have quit are less likely to become smokers themselves. Quitting smoking is hard and the NRT can help. They do report that research shows these products as being helpful and that is true. But never before in lecture or print have I heard of Nicotine Replacement Therapy being called, Therapeutic Nicotine Products. GSK must be taking euphemism lessons from the government.
Obesity: Back to my favorite subject, the prevention of obesity that is. A report out from CDC researchers (who reviewed NHANES data) implies that the increase in childhood obesity is stagnant. In other words it may be as high as it is going to go. Good news? Hardly, that stagnant rate is a startling , incredibly whopping 32 percent , excuse me, the rate is of overweight and obese combined, none the less, that is in the population of 2 - 19 years of age and by actual measurement not telephone survey.
What is a Healthy Snack? I respect that Kraft continues to try to offer healthier snack foods to us and that they are now reformulating their Kool Aid, but what is healthy? Low calorie is good, but if it is still empty calories I wonder what the benefit of eating it is. And if it is non nutritive and they add vitamins is that the same thing as healthy? I think not. Those Special K bars, nothing. The Quaker Oats bars, pretty much nothing. Low calorie but low protein and fiber as well. Guess I should stick with hummus and lighter cheeses.
See I am brief today
Wellness can be yours! Take the adult fitness test. I did! I scored at or above the 80th percentile for my age and gender, it is true. My sister was my test assistant!
http://www.adultfitnesstest.org/dataEntry.aspx
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